Jerry Jones Explains Honoring Charlie Kirk As Some Media Suddenly Curious About NFL Pregame Tributes

After seven teams on Sunday paused during their pregame programs for moments of silence or reflection to remember Charlie Kirk, the reaction was split among people who obviously saw the same thing differently, so the actions apparently required an explanation, including one from Jerry Jones.

After the Cowboys beat the New York Giants in overtime, and Jones announced he's signing Jadeveon Clowney, he was asked why the Cowboys conducted their pregame tribute to Kirk.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 14: A general view inside the stadium during a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk prior to the game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Jerry Jones Explains Cowboys Tribute

That tribute, which was also part of the pregame program by other teams, in Dallas included having Kirk's picture beaming from AT&T Stadium's 160-foot-wide and 72-foot-tall video board that hangs from the rafters 90 feet above the field.

So Jones was asked why the Cowboys did that. 

"We just all abhor violence," Jones said, according to The Athletic. "And it’s impacting us all. And, certainly, we all stand together on any front, relative to the threat of violence. … 

"I was a young guy, but aware, in the ‘60s when we had huge violence, lost President Kennedy and his brother and many, many others, Martin Luther King. It’s something that we all really need to just be aware of, support our law enforcement, and do everything we can to keep the violence in check."

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 14: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before kickoff against the New York Giants during an NFL football game at AT&T Field on September 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

NFL Pointing Out Violence Is Right 

That all makes perfect sense. Pointing out violence, its cost, and standing on the side of peace and justice, regardless of politics, is not wrong.

But it's interesting that so many people – including some in the media – feel the need to question this stance as it connects to the murder of Charlie Kirk. And that question is trebled because it's in contrast to the past when the same people mostly didn't seem to have similar curiosity as to why the NFL or its teams conducted other pregame tributes.

The fact the NFL began the Kirk tributes when it held its "moment of silent reflection" prior to last Thursday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders is not without controversy. 

The day after that tribute, some media outlets asked the league why it held that tribute at all.

Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; The NFL shield logo at midfield at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Defends Reason For Tribute

So the NFL actually had to defend its decision by releasing a statement.

"There have been a variety of moments of silence and tributes in-stadium and on-air in all games or a game immediately following events that rise to a national level," the NFL said in a statement released to OutKick. "Clubs also often hold moments following a tragic event that affects their community.

 "There have been moments following school shootings or an attack on a house of worship such as the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. There also have been moments following major international incidents such as the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and weather-related incidents such as major hurricanes and fires. 

"This is in addition to honoring those in the NFL family, from tributes to recently passed players or personnel, or a player such as Damar Hamlin in 2023. The NFL also honored before Super Bowl LIV NBA star Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash (Gianna Bryant, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, Ara Zobayan), and also Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Doleman who passed that week. 

"This summer before the Hall of Fame game in Canton, the league honored the victims and those impacted by the attack at 345 Park Avenue." 

Feb 4, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; A memorial for victims of the New Year's Eve truck attack on Bourbon Street.  Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Rightly Does Tributes Often

That seems like a lot of tributes done by the NFL prior to its games. And that's not even the full list.

During Week 18 games last season, the NFL honored the victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack. The NFL is now acknowledging that was indeed a terror attack, something its tribute initially failed to do.

Also, last season, the NFL held a moment of silence to recognize those lost in the deadly crashes near Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and also prior to the Vikings-Rams Wild Card game that was moved from LA to Arizona due to the deadly wildfires.

According to the NFL, it has played "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at league events since 2020 following the murder of George Floyd and the events of the summer of 2020, including last Thursday during the NFL Kickoff Game in Philadelphia.

Heightened Curiosity About Kirk Tributes

So we've seen a huge number of tributes by the NFL and its teams. 

Did the media ask why after each of those? Mostly no. The reason for the tributes was mostly understood and accepted.

But after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, suddenly there's a curiosity by some as to why the league or any of its teams would have a tribute that, at least in part, condemns violence – as if that isn't self-explanatory.

Curious.